Summary

Comparative observations were made on the development ofEmmonsia crescens in the lungs of laboratory rats and mice, golden hamsters and guinea pigs after a nasal instillation of a heavy suspension of the saprophytic phase of the fungus.

95% of 80 experimental rats were found to be parasited against 80% of 200 inoculated mice, while only 30% of 70 hamsters and all of 4 guinea pigs showed an infection.

The lungs of the mice, rats and guinea pigs were frequently more heavily infected than those of the hamsters. In addition, the adiaspores obtained from the mice and rats had, on average, a diameter double those from the hamsters and their walls were thicker.

Thus, the laboratory mice and rats were shown to be better hosts ofE. crescens than were golden hamsters.